Playing live regularly through-out 2003 and 2004, the band built up a sizable following, even winning their way through on the corporate-sponsored ‘Coke Launch-Pad’ promotional junket, along with performances across New Zealand on the Orientation Tour and at the 2004 Big Day Out in Auckland.

The Bleeders got a huge boost in later 2004 with the release of the So Lonely single – which shot to prominence on the New Zealand chart, despite a rather limp-wristed hook, an overt emo attempt at hardcore.